February 16 Celebrated

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- Meetings, a Korean photo and book exhibition, a film show and other events took place in Britain, Venezuela and Pakistan from January 30 to February 5 on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
    On display at the exhibition were a photo of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il discussing work, photos of them inspecting units of the Korean People's Army and different fields of the national economy, the reminiscences of the President "With the Century" and famous works of Kim Jong Il.
    Harpal Brar, chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) who is chairman of the British Friendship Society with Korea, in a speech at a meeting said Kim Jong Il is a great brilliant commander who founded Songun politics by carrying forward the revolutionary cause of the President and is wisely leading the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation, while resolutely shattering the U.S. imperialists' moves to stifle the DPRK.
    Vicente Jose Perez, chairman of the Taekwon-Do Federation of Venezuela, said at a meeting and a show of the Korean film "The Korean People's Army, Steel-like Ranks" that the birthday of Kim Jong Il is a common fete of the Venezuelan and Korean peoples, highly praising his exploits in Songun leadership.
    A celebration function took place in Karachi, Pakistan, with figures of political parties and organizations and men of the press of the country in attendance.
    A performance was given by pupils of a middle school at the Kim Jong Il class.
    Messages of greetings to Kim Jong Il were adopted at the functions held in Venezuela and Pakistan.

Congratulations to Kim Jong Il from Foreign Diplomats

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with a floral basket and a congratulatory letter by the foreign economic and commercial councilors' corps here on the occasion of his birthday. The floral basket and congratulatory letter were handed to an official concerned by Evelio Duenas Ponce, commercial councilor of the Cuban embassy who is doyen of the corps, on Monday.

Preparatory Committees Formed Abroad

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees were inaugurated in different countries to celebrate the February fete, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. The inaugural ceremony of the Finnish preparatory committee for the celebration of the February holiday was held in Oulu on Feb. 6. Antti Sika Aho, chief of the Group for the Study of Works of Comrade Kim Jong Il of the Finnish National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee. It decided to hold a seminar on the Juche idea with Songun politics as its theme, a celebration meeting, a film show and other colorful functions.
    A preparatory committee to commemorate the Day of the Sun and February 16 was formed in Mfumalanga Province, South Africa, on Feb. 7 with due ceremony, at which the chairman of the South African Association for Friendship and Solidarity with the Korean People, who is secretary of the Mfumalanga Provincial Committee of the South African Communist Party, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee. It set the days from Feb. 7 to April 30 as a period of commemoration and celebration and decided to hold a lecture, a friendship meeting, a photo exhibition, a film show and various other political and cultural functions in the period.
    The inaugural ceremony of the national preparatory committee of Benin was held in Porto Novo on January 25 to celebrate February 16. It was decided there to continue its work till October 10, the 60th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea, and hold a wide range of political and cultural functions in the period.
    The South African Association for Friendship and Solidarity with the Korean People was formed in Mfumalanga Province on February 6.

Scientists Promote Economic Construction

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- The February 17 Shock Brigade of Scientists and Technicians has done its bit in solving important scientific and technical issues arising in economic construction in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The scientists and technicians dispatched to the Rakwon Machine Complex and the Songjin Steel Complex have manufactured efficient machines including oxygen separator, which is of great significance in iron and steel production, and modernized various production processes.
    The shock brigade is a team of competent scientists and technicians which was formed to swiftly solve urgent scientific and technical issues arising in major economic projects. Those dispatched to different parts of the country have made a lot of scientific inventions and new technologies, greatly contributing to the nation's economic construction and scientific and technical development.
    They have launched a vigorous campaign to solve the issue of raw materials, fuel and power in reliance upon local natural resources.
    The teams working in the field of extracting industry including mines in Komdok and coal mines in Anju area have surveyed the underground resources of the country in a comprehensive way and thus secured new reserves for coal and mineral ore production. Some shock brigades have solved scientific and technical issues arising in building large and minor hydro and thermal power stations to suit the topographical conditions of different areas and keeping them in full-capacity operation. As a result, they have made a tangible contribution to meeting the growing demand for electricity.
    Besides, efforts have been concentrated on electronic, heat, biological and mechanical engineering, and chemical and new materials research to put them onto a higher level and successfully carry out the construction and modernization of factories on the basis of advanced science and technology.
    They have also made a great contribution to activating the national economy by introducing thousands of scientific inventions and new technologies into production.
    A large number of professors, doctors, People's Scientists, People's Designers, Merited Scientists and holders of academic degrees and honorary titles have been produced among them.

Auspicious Holiday for Progressive Humankind

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- The birthday of leader Kim Jong Il (February 16) is being celebrated as an auspicious holiday for the progressive people all over the world. Preparatory committees for celebrating February 16 have been formed in scores of countries including Russia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria, Guinea, Ecuador, Romania, India, Thailand, Czech Republic, Cambodia, Poland, Egypt and France. They have held meetings, film shows, lectures and other events in celebration of the holiday.
    Under the sponsorship of the preparatory committees for meetings of lauding the greatness of leader Kim Jong Il ", gatherings have taken place in many countries.
    Mass media of many countries print portraits of Kim Jong Il and photographs showing his revolutionary activities, along with special write-ups introducing his immortal exploits performed for the Korean revolution and the independence of humankind.
    The participants in the celebration events praise him, who guides the global cause of independence with Songun politics, as the lodestar of the 21st century, a great master of leadership, a great thinker and theoretician and a prominent political veteran of the world.
    The chairman of the Youth Group for the Study of Juche Idea of Democratic Congo at a round-table talk extended warmest congratulations to Kim Jong Il on his birthday and said his birthday is the most auspicious holiday of not only the Korean people but also the world progressive people.
    The Russian Social Committee for Celebrating the Birthday of Comrade Kim Jong Il was formed in Moscow on January 20 with famous political and public figures. It, in a statement, noted that Kim Jong Il has earned a high reputation as a world-famous genius, excellent strategist and brilliant commander and as the great leader of the heroic people who is successfully carrying into practice his far-sighted plan for building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation on the beautiful land of Korea.

Workers and Trade Union Members Hold Celebration Meeting

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- A meeting of workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea took place in front of the Monument to the Party Founding on Sunday to celebrate the significant February fete, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. Present there were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, leading officials of the Central Committee of the federation and trade union officials and members and other workers in the city.
    Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the Central Committee of the federation, addressed the meeting and then followed speeches.
    Speakers called upon the workers and trade union members to unite as one in mind around Kim Jong Il and turn out with redoubled vigor in the drive to build a great prosperous powerful nation and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche under the uplifted banner of the great Songun.
    All of them should consolidate as firm as a rock the single-minded unity of the revolutionary ranks based on revolutionary comradeship with the leader as the center, speed up the general march for the Songun revolution, decisively foiling the imperialists' moves for aggression, thoroughly establish the traits of attaching importance to the military affairs in the whole society and bring the revolutionary soldier culture into full bloom, they said.
    They urged them to give top priority to the supply of everything needed for the development of the defense industry, powerfully support the agricultural front and bring about a big revolutionary upsurge in all fields of the national economy, notably the power, coal and metal industries and railway transport so as to perform heroic feats.
    The celebration poem "Song of Best Wishes to the Great Sun" was recited at the meeting.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Egypt

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, was presented with a gift by Youssef Amin Wali, vice-chairman of the National Democratic Party of Egypt, on the occasion of his birthday. The gift was handed to an official of the DPRK embassy in Cairo by the chief secretary of the vice-chairman.
    The chief secretary said:
    Vice-chairman Youssef Amin Wali deeply respects and reveres leader Kim Jong Il. Especially, he highly appreciates the bold and principled stand taken by him in recent years.
    He prepared the gift, wishing Kim Jong Il good health.
    Please convey the best wishes of the vice-chairman and all the Egyptian people to him.

Prompt Measures for Solution to Nuclear Issue between DPRK and U.S. Urged

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- The Headquarters of the People's Movement for the Withdrawal of the U.S. Forces in south Korea on February 10 reportedly issued a commentary titled "North's possession of nuclear weapons is a legitimate self-defensive step of a sovereign state". Recalling the announcement of the DPRK that it will indefinitely suspend its participation in the six-party talks and has produced nuclear weapons against the U.S. hostile policy, the commentary demanded the U.S. take an immediate measure for a solution to the nuclear issue between it and the DPRK.
    The commentary went on:
    Has the north made nuclear weapons as it wanted them? No, it is entirely due to the United States. With economic blockade added to war threat, the north had no other choice but to arm itself with self-defensive power.
    If the U.S. truly wants a solution to the "nuclear issue of the north", it should take the following measures at once:
    Firstly, it should replace the armistice agreement between the north and the U.S. with a permanent peace agreement and withdraw its forces from this land.
    Secondly, it should promptly retract its economic blockade policy against the north which has lasted over half a century.
    Thirdly, it should officially declare that it will not lay any obstacle in the way of the Korean nation solving the reunification question independently by its own efforts under the banner of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration.
    The U.S. should clearly know that only when it takes these measures first can there be an advance in the settlement of the so-called "nuclear issue of the north". Otherwise, it is not entitled to talk about the north's possession of nukes or something more formidable.

Meeting Held in Mt. Paektu to Vow Loyalty to Kim Jong Il

     Secret Camp in Mt. Paektu, February 13 (KCNA) -- A meeting to vow loyalty to leader Kim Jong Il was held in front of his old home in the secret camp in Mt. Paektu Sunday on the occasion of his birthday (Feb.16). Floating in the sky above the secret camp were large balloons from which were suspended slogan "Highest glory to the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il" and other slogans. Flags of the Workers' Party and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and red flags were seen fluttering around the old home.
    After the meeting was declared open, all its participants took a solemn oath of loyalty, led by Kim Il Chol, member of the DPRK National Defence Commission and minister of the People's Armed Forces.
    They pledged themselves to hold President Kim Il Sung in high esteem as the eternal sun of Juche, true to the noble intention of Kim Jong Il who set a world historic example by accomplishing the cause of perpetuating his memory.
    They solemnly vowed to absolutely trust Kim Jong Il only, firmly protect the single-minded unity of the whole Party and army and all the people with the headquarters of the revolution as its core and devotedly defend him with unshakable revolutionary faith and sense of obligation.
    Declaring that they would firmly uphold and preserve the great Juche idea and Songun idea as a lifeline of the Korean revolution and dynamically advance along the road of the Songun revolution, they evinced the strong resolution to perform fresh miracles and feats in the drive to scale the high eminence of a great prosperous powerful nation and glorify the 60th anniversaries of the WPK and the liberation of the country as grand festivals of victors.
    They also vowed to mercilessly wipe out the imperialist aggressors who are working hard to infringe upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK with the invincible might of Songun and embody the idea of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration to accomplish the historic cause of national reunification without fail.
    Firework was displayed to beautifully adorn the sky above the Jongil Peak when the high praises of the great man prevailed in the primitive forest.
    Servicepersons of the three services of the KPA, poets and artistes recited poems in an excited tone.
    Present at the meeting were Yang Hyong Sop, Jong Ha Chol, Kim Ki Nam and Kwak Pom Gi, members of the Cabinet, senior officials of the Party and military organs, officials of local Party and power bodies and working people's organizations, KPA servicepersons, members of volunteer teams of Party information workers from across the country and working people in Ryanggang Province.
    The participants looked round the old home in the secret camp.

DPRK Ambassador to Mexico Appointed

     Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- So Jae Myong was appointed DPRK ambassador@e.p. to Mexico, according to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme@People's Assembly of the DPRK.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il recibe presente de vicepresidente de entidad egipcia

     Pyongyang, 14 de febrero (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio presente que le dirigiera con motivo de su cumpleanos (16 de febrero) el vicepresidente del Partido Nacional Democrata de Egipto, Youssef Amin Wali. El secretario responsable del vicepresidente lo entrego a un funcionario de la embajada de Corea en su pais.
    En la ocasion el secretario responsable dijo:
    El vicepresidente Youssef Amin Wali respeta y venera mucho a Su Excelencia el Dirigente Kim Jong Il.
    En particular, el valora altamente la posicion valiente y de principios tomada por el Dirigente en los ultimos anos.
    El vicepresidente preparo tal presente deseandole buena salud.
    Ruego que le transmita al Dirigente el saludo de votos del vicepresidente y de todo el pueblo egipcio.

Inaugurado 9o festival de kimjongilias

     Pyongyang, 14 de febrero (ATCC) -- El noveno Festival de Kimjongilias quedo inaugurado solemnemente el dia 12 en la Exposicion Permanente de Kimilsungia y Kimjongilia de Pyongyang. Estan exhibidas alli mas de 19 mil unidades de Kimjongilia que cultivaron los comites del consejo de ministros, ministerios, organos centrales, organismos de las fuerzas armadas, entidades de todas las provincias, trabajadores de distintos sectores, jovenes y ninos escolares, representaciones diplomaticas, organizaciones de amistad y sociales extranjeras, organizaciones de cooperacion no gubernamentales, personalidades individuales, coreanos en ultramar, chinos residentes en Corea y la sucursal del Frente Democratico Nacional del Sur de Corea en Pyongyang.
    En el acto participaron Pak Pong Ju, primer ministro del Consejo de Ministros, Yang Hyong Sop, vicepresidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema, Jong Ha Chol, secretario del CC del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Kwak Pom Gi, viceprimer ministro, y otros miembros del CM, funcionarios dirigentes de los ministerios, organos centrales y organizaciones de masas y otros interesados.
    Kang Nung Su, presidente del Comite Coreano de Kimilsungia y Kimjongilia, en sus palabras de apertura, senalo que este festival que se desarrolla cada ano solemnemente es un certamen floral de fidelidad al estilo coreano que demuestra la invariable voluntad de recorrer hasta el fin el largisimo camino del Songun (priorizacion militar) bajo la guia del Dirigente.
    Destaco que la presente edicion del festival se hace mas solemne y significativa porque esta flor de fama mundial -orgullo y bien de la nacion coreana- fue registrada oficialmente como nueva especie por la Sociedad Internacional de Horticultura.
    Al termino de la ceremonia los participantes recorrieron con profunda emocion las flores del Sol abiertas plenamente que tinen de rojo al lugar como la aurora del pico Jongil.

Comites preparatorios en varios paises para 16 de febrero

     Pyongyang, 14 de febrero (ATCC) -- Quedaron constituidos en varios paises comites preparatorios para el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il). Tuvo lugar el dia 6 en Oulu el acto constitutivo del Comite Preparatorio de Finlandia para la citada efemeride.
    En la ocasion el Comite eligio como su presidente al jefe del Grupo de Estudio de las Obras del camarada Kim Jong Il del Comite Nacional de Finlandia para el Estudio de la Idea Juche, Antti Sika Aho, y decidio realizar simposio sobre la idea Juche con la politica de Songun (priorizacion militar) como la tematica, mitin, proyeccion filmica y otras actividades.
    En el acto constitutivo del Comite Preparatorio de Sudafrica para el Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero efectuado el dia 7 en la provincia de Mfumalanga, fue electo como presidente del Comite el secretario del Comite del Partido Comunista de Sudafrica en la provincia de Mfumalanga quien es el presidente de la Asociacion Sudafricana de Amistad y Solidaridad con el Pueblo Coreano. El Comite definio del 7 de febrero al 30 de abril como periodo conmemorativo y decidio organizar conferencia, encuentro de amistad, exhibicion de fotos, proyeccion filmica y otras actividades politicas y culturales.
    Surgio el 25 de enero en Porto Novo el Comite Preparatorio Nacional de Benin para el 16 de febrero. El Comite decidio continuar su mision hasta el 10 de octubre en que se cumple el 60 aniversario de la fundacion del Partido del Trabajo de Corea y realizar en este lapso diversas actividades politicas y culturales.
    En tanto, nacio el dia 6 en la provincia de Mfumalanga la Asociacion Sudafricana de Amistad y Solidaridad con el Pueblo Coreano.